Six miles of waterways for canoeing and kayaking, plus five miles of levee trails for hiking and biking: Howard Marsh offers two very different ways to experience the marsh landscape. Lucas is also shaped by its waterways. Lucas County borders Lake Erie to the east and the Maumee River to the southeast; along the Lake Erie shoreline, visitors can enjoy numerous water-based and land-based activities.
Marshland and trails on different scales
At Manhattan Marsh Preserve Metropark, a 1.3-mile trail with nearly 1,500 feet of concrete boardwalk and observation points leads into the marsh. The trail combines a specific distance with a clear landscape destination: you can walk out into the marsh and take in views of the area from the observation points. The Northwest Territory Trail takes a different form: this 1.5-mile loop runs through Fallen Timbers Battlefield. When comparing trails, you can consider their length, layout, and connection to the surrounding landscape.
Fallen Timbers Battlefield encompasses 187 acres of open field, with a wooded area near its center. This open landscape, with a stand of trees in the middle, differs markedly from the marshlands at Howard Marsh and Manhattan Marsh. Lucas thus brings together a range of natural settings and landscapes, without every outing following the same pattern.
Larger natural areas and distinctive habitats
At 5,000 acres, Oak Openings Preserve is by far the largest Metropark. It is home to the only public treehouse village in the United States, as well as two campgrounds and two cabins. This combination also makes Oak Openings appealing to visitors planning nature experiences alongside places to stay; it describes the park’s amenities, not the features of a hotel.
At Pearson Metropark, a surviving stand of trees preserves part of the Great Black Swamp. The park is also home to Johlin Cabin, built in 1867. Natural and architectural history meet here in different forms: the remaining swamp forest as a record of the landscape, and the cabin as a specific, dated structure. Another distinctive feature is the Maumee River Ledges between Maumee and Waterville. They form a rare alvar habitat, found in only a few places around the Great Lakes. The Glass City Riverwalk, meanwhile, runs along the Maumee River, adding another riverside destination to the region’s waterways.
Bike and hiking trails offer different experiences, too. The Lake Erie Bike Path in Maumee Bay State Park is 2.1 miles long and suitable for biking. Side Cut Metropark connects to the Wabash Cannonball Trail. Together with the trails through marshland and the battlefield, these offer a range of landscapes and trail types: from a designated bike path and a connected trail to a loop and a boardwalk.
Glass, gardens, and history
Toledo’s glass culture is on display at the Glass Pavilion, where an important glass collection meets a working glass studio rooted in Toledo’s glassmaking heritage. The combination of collection and studio offers insight into both glass art and how it is made. At Toledo Botanical Garden, the display gardens span more than 60 acres, alongside corresponding plant collections. The Doneghy Inclusive Garden offers something different: an accessible sensory experience with visual, auditory, taste, and tactile elements.
Those interested in the area’s history will find several points of connection. The Toledo History Museum preserves physical artifacts from Toledo’s history. The Toledo Farmers’ Market was founded in 1832, giving it a long history without implying anything about current event dates. Wildwood Manor House is designed in the Georgian Colonial style. And at the National Museum of the Great Lakes, visitors can board the 617-foot museum ship Col. James M. Schoonmaker.
Experiences for a range of interests
The region also offers interactive discoveries. Imagination Station features hundreds of interactive exhibits and demonstrations. At the Toledo Zoo’s Touch Tank, visitors can touch sharks, stingrays, and horseshoe crabs. Alongside trails and landscapes, there are also science experiences, encounters with animals, and hands-on exhibits to choose from.
For getting to and around the area, Lucas County offers easy access to two airports, an Amtrak station, regional bus service, and taxi services. Which option suits your plans depends on your trip.
Discover more destinations: Maumee, Oregon, Toledo, Sylvania, Greene, Muskingum, Shelby County, Butler
For the main travel overview: Ohio.
